Yao Ming to Retire Because of Injury?

Yao Ming, the tallest player in the NBA at 7-foot-6, might be forced to retire after suffering an injury in the second round of this year's playoffs against the Los Angeles Lakers. Yao, only 28 years old, was diagnosed with a sprain ankle after Game 3. But a later test showed a hairline fracture in his left foot. The seven-time NBA All-Star missed the rest of the playoffs but the team was optimistic to have him back soon.

The Rockets expected Yao to miss only eight to twelve weeks, and be ready for the upcoming season. But after additional tests were done last week, the Rockets got bad news as it was revealed that Yao had problems in the healing process, and the injury was not healed. Doctors have told the Rockets that the injury will force Yao to miss this next season and could be "career threatening." Yao, who was the first overall pick in the 2002 NBA draft, is due to make $16 million next season with a player option for the 2011 season, that would pay him over $17 million.

This is a huge blow to a Rockets team that already expect Tracy McGrady to miss at least the first half of the next season because of an injury to his left knee.

Injuries are nothing new to Yao Ming and have plagued him in the past. Yao has missed significant amount of playing time four times in three seasons. Yao barely missed any games in his first three seasons with the Houston Rockets but early in his fourth season, he was put on the inactive list after developing osteomyelitis, an infection of bone marrow, in the big toe on his left foot. Ming missed a total of 21 games but played well for the rest of the season. Late in the same season, he was injured again in a game, resulting in a broken bone in his left foot. This injury was healed after six months of rest.

A few games into his fifth NBA season, Yao Ming was injured again. He broke his right knee after attempting to block a shot. This was the worst injury Yao had suffered, at the time, and resulted in him missing a total of 34 games. In the middle of his sixth NBA season, Yao learned that he would miss the rest of the season with a stress fracture in his left foot that required surgery, missing 27 games and the 2008 NBA playoffs.

Time will tell if Yao ever plays in the NBA again.